1851 "880" $50 RE Augustus Humbert MS(PCGS#10211)

The Regency Auction 33

拍卖行

Legend Rare Coin Auctions

批号

512

等级

AU53

价格

383,859

详细说明

K-5, considered to be low R-5. This is a very handsome example of this rare and impressive type. Wonderful honey-gold coloration coats the surfaces on both sides. Both sides are boldly defined,with just some minor weakness on the highest points of the design types. While lightly worn and showing some minor contact marks, these are very minimal. The edges are solid, free of any dings that usually plague the corners. This is quite the pleasing coin and when you consider how choppy a 2.5 ounce gold coin that circulated during the Gold Rush can be, this one is very high end. Without a doubt this is one of the more eye appealing AU examples you will encounter. Perennially popular among collectors, these “ingots" or “slugs" were struck in the U.S. Assay office in San Francisco, under the direction of Augustus Humbert. His mint operated for several years before the Federal government took over operations and eventually in 1854 opened as the official branch mint in San Francisco. Because of his reputation for honesty, Humbert’s operations put out of business many of the other assaying and minting firms that opened after the discovery of gold in California. Indeed, these “slugs" were so well received in “old west" commerce, even after the official branch mint at San Francisco poured federal issue gold coins into commercial streams, they were still widely circulated. PCGS 6, NGC 12, CAC 4. These large gold coins are always in demand, and even the lowest quality examples approach five figure prices. By comparison, this high quality AU53 seems like a bargain! The only CAC-approved example to sell in auction was a PCGS coin, which sold for $69,000 in the 2012 FUN auction. Finer examples are very few and far between, very rarely offered. This is a very important opportunity for anyone looking to add a very attractive, high grade example to an advanced type set or for anyone who specializes in Territorial or Pioneer gold coins. We anticipate strong bidding when this one crosses the block! Cert. Number 4191438-001 PCGS # 010211